Like a Raven in the Snow (Technoblade X Oc/yn)

Chapter 1

You can't even control your fears…

She never knew she would be caught up in all of this…

The soft flowers beneath her fingertips were soon replaced by the firm handle of a sword and the thin string of a bow. It at times reminded her of how much she had to give up, how much she had lost and how, despite this being her own choice, she had no other options.

The serenity of the mountains and flower fields that carried so much history under their surface was replaced by a battlefield that wrote that same history in front of her own eyes. The sharp blade, held deep in her hand, tightly, as if it was her lifeline, her only hope of survival, was slashing through the crowds of people before her - all of them storming in rage and pain to kill as many of her allies as they could. The deep snow drenched in blood as lifeless bodies fell to the ground, like taking their space on the field, knowing that they would stay there, waiting for the snow and dirt to cover their bodies, forever stuck in the moment that would one day be called ‘history’ - but they themselves would be just a single body, one that none knew about and none remembered.

There were many moments like these. She could never rest. She could not take a deep breath of relief knowing that it was all over, because it never was. As one war ended, another one came in its place, reminding her that there would never be peace in the world. 

However, many out there liked to believe in naive promises of a better life, promises that would give them hope of a peaceful place where everyone could feel that they were safe. There were countless such promises to be found in the world, but the one that came first and promised the most was a nation called L’Manburg. Its founder, erased from history, promised these people a safe and prosperous land where no one would fight and would have to worry, and all would be at peace. It had strict rules, but nevertheless, it gave what it promised - after a brutal war of liberation liberty. 

But it was just that. A foolish hope, a naive promise, a lie that people clung to with their dear life. Despite the founder bringing what he had promised to the people, keeping his word, he was still no more than that: the nation’s founder, so desperate to not be questioned by anyone. And so, he decided to host an election - an election that he lost.

And that's how she met Schlatt - a man who, to everyone's surprise, was elected as the president of L’Manburg. No, not as its president - rather as a dictator. Despite this, when he asked her to be by his side, to help him with utilizing his newly acquired power, she found no reason to object - she had been a part of many battles and stood by many powerful men, so who was she to judge?

It was never free of charge, of course. Everything she did was for a price - riches, power, anything that she wanted or needed at the time. And so, Schlatt offered her a book. One of pure power, a book that could revive the dead no matter how long ago they had passed and by whatever means. She couldn't refuse. So many had died by her hand, so many more would fall to the same fate. Some of them had been evil, to be sure, but most were innocents, dragged into the battlefield without knowing why, nor imagining their fate - but that was not the reason for her agreement. 

This whole journey had started with one person - one single being that was so dear to her that even after all of these years, she could not let go. She wanted to see them smile at her once more as they stood in a flower field, admiring the beauty that had once carried so much grief all around them. She wanted to make them laugh, make them cry, hear their voice, a voice that had always reminded her that everything was okay no matter how cruel the world was.

Schlatt had given that hope back to her, so when it was once more taken away from her, and by him of all people, she had found herself overwhelmed with emotion. Anger, betrayal, maybe a slight bit of fear — that all made her pull out her crossbow, pointing the sharp arrow square at his forehead.